The Backyard Science group regularly features the Daily Bucket. Any natural subject, from clouds to spiders to turtles (especially turtles) is appropriate for a Bucket or a comment for a Bucket. How frozen are you? New squirrels at the feeder? New owls spotted nearby?Please comment about your own natural area, whether it's your backyard, or a favored spot. Include, as close as you are comfortable, the general site of your location.
This is an official draft advisory from the Consumer Production Safety Commission regarding safe operations of bird feeders and related accoutrements. This advisory will not be final until a public comment period of 30 days is completed, which will start upon publication in the Federal Register.
WARNING--GRAPHIC PHOTOS FOLLOW BELOW THE SQUISHED ORANGE SLUG
DO NOT STORE YOUR BIRD SEED OUTSIDE
If you do store bird seed outside, the CPSC recommends a container with 1/2 inch thick steel plate sides. This will slow down a squirrel for approximately one hour.
HANG YOUR SUET CAGE HIGHER THAN AN IRISH SETTER CAN JUMP
The CPSC recommends a height of at least ten feet. If bored, an Irish Setter may eventually figure out how to climb a tree, so take that factor into account.
MINIMUM BIRD FEEDER STRUCTURAL REQUIREMENTS
Please check the specifications of your Bird Feeders. These should be constructed from materials with a minimum strength equal to Schedule 80 steel piping.
The CPSC is withdrawing our previous advisory consisting of placing a sign stating "No Squirrels Allowed. Feeder for birds only" by the feeder, because field tests about the sign's effectiveness were ambiguous.
Please submit your own comments now about your natural areas. Thank you for your attention.
"Green Diary Rescue" is Back!
After a hiatus of over 1 1/2 years, Meteor Blades (bless his heart) has revived his excellent series. As MB explained, this weekly diary is a "round-up with excerpts and links... of the hard work so many Kossacks put into bringing matters of environmental concern to the community... I'll be starting out with some commentary of my own on an issue related to the environment, a word I take in its broadest meaning."
"Green Diary Rescue" will be posted every Saturday at 1:00 pm Pacific Time on the Daily Kos front page. Be sure to recommend and comment in the diary.